Illustrator unusably slow and laggy on macOS

[seand6441683]

Some time in the last year, Illustrator (which previously worked just fine) has become unusably slow and laggy on my 2011 iMac. Anyone out there have solutions or work-arounds?

[DK LLC]

Thank you for this note. It helps get the software running again. However, after using the software for a few sessions the sluggishness comes back, causing me to have to trash all the preferences files again.  I can't emphasize enought that is not a solution! I have my preferences dialed in for my productivity (workspaces, in particular). Rebuilding these (or pulling them from the deleted folders and replacing them in the new structure) immediately brings back the problem. 

My dear Adobe friends, defects like these are to be expected from time to time. This is complex software you are developing. But it seems like, these days, problems aren't getting get addressed in a timely matter (This thread goes back to October and here we are at the end of January still strugglign with this). I've been giving you money for decades to help me be a fluid creator... but now these defects inhibiting my productivity and creativity.

Please address this. 

[Monika Gause]

In your Mac OS, is the Dictation turned off?

Which hardware is it?

What else is running?

What exactly does "a few sessions" mean? Do you reboot the computer regularly?

[DK LLC]

Thank you for the reply! Answers to your questions:

In your Mac OS, is the Dictation turned off?

• Yes it is turned off (and I've never had it on)

Which hardware is it?

• iMac Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019 running Catalina 10.15.7
• 3.6 GHz 8-Core i9
• 24 GB RAM
• Radeon Pro 580X 8 GB

What else is running?

• Usually InDesign, Photoshop, Chrome, Microsoft Outlook and Teams

What exactly does "a few sessions" mean? Do you reboot the computer regularly?

• A few sessions means separate occasions where Illustrator was closed, I open it, use it, and then close it again 
• Yes, I reboot it 3–4 times each week

Keep up the great work. 

Likes

[frankdacr]

Having the same issues, please fix v25 let me know when is usable, I'm keeping v24

[SL – Workstation 1]

Simply move your stuff over to Affinity Designer and you're working at speed of light!

[aaron87243929]

This worked for me. I found in other forums it's the Mac Dictate that is screwing it up. Under Apple's SYSTEM PREFERENCES>ACCESSIBILITY>DICTATION uncheck "Enable the dictation keyword phrase" if that doesn't work disable dication under SYSTEM PREFERENCES>KEYBOARD>DICTATION

I was even able to turn it back on afterwards and Illustrator was fast again.

[jfi0rin0]

Hey Aaron87243929, thanks for your reply.
Could you provide screenshots? The path you provided does not exist on my OS. There is no DICTATION section under ACCESSABILITY. 

Under my keyboard settings however, there is a dictation panel. It was never on in the first place.

Thank you. 

[le37gill]

Ashutosh,

I regret updating Illustrator. Every time you guys create an update, the performance will be SH!T!!!

Now it's happening again. And the solutions you try to offer don't seem to work.

WTF are you guys doing???!!!

[Jay5CC7]

Totally agree, I've used illustrator since version 8 and it was absolutely lightning fast compared to any of the CC BS!!!

[majo_se]

Same here OSX v.25.0.1

I'm on a MBP 2019 maxed out 2,4 Ghz 8-core Intel Core i9, 64 GB RAM. Maxed Graphics card...

Had trouble with the previous illustrator version and thought an update would solve it, nope.

SUUUUPER frustrated... I don't have time for this, on a deadline!

[drladd20]

Similar machine here 32GB ram. I find AI really chokes if you run scripts.

[iD3Z1GN]

The quickest work around is to RESTART Ai.
Yes this is a hack but it is quick and it works, and most importantly it does not involve the type of crappy advice forwarded by the Adobe (part time) support team who will advise you some long winded BS about navigating through the folders to delete the preferences and then leave you with having to work without your personal set-up.... with the problem still persisting.

Re-start or go back to a recent older version of Ai if you can. Adobe will eventually fix the issue (we hope)

[Oast One]

Sadly this doesn't work. My Illustrator 25 is always slow. Even when first launched after a reboot. 

[Kat5C4A]

I'm on an iMac, Big Sur 11.0.1 (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017)

Processor: 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5

memory: 16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4

I have tried softwear updates, unstalling and reinstalling, turning off dictation, have called apple. 

This version of AI is so slow and laggy and crashing using the simpliest of files. So furstrating when under a deadline... considering going back to Catalina and 2020 when everything worked. 

Adobe, what is going on here. My computer is only 3 years old and it's becoming so frustrating to get any work done

[drladd20]

I have to close AI after creating a relatively small set of objects. When I re-open it's faster for a while then starts to slow down again. If I am using AI all day, I kill it and restart it 5x.

My MBP is 2019, 8-core i9 with 32GB of ram. Not a hardware problem.

[jarrodlanglois]

I was having the same issue but installed an older version and it works much better. Another sucky update from Adobe. I try not to update unless completely necessary. Most Adobe software updates are useless and makes things overall less productive for the end user.. I think they've lost touch with their customer base with these new subscription plans..

[jefc302]

I'm on a MacPro 2020 (7,1) - LATEST Mac Pro, Big Sur 11.1

3.2 GHz 16-Core Intel Xeon W

96GB 2933 DDR4 memory

AI has gotten slower and slower with past updates...the last verison (AI v24) was very usable.

Now since the update to v25 its complettely unsuable...like others have indicated extremely laggy with just about every single task...like simply selecting an object lags. I've also have gotten random crashes for no reason with Photoshop.

I've stuck around with Adobe since 1990s but switching to Affinity apps is looking more and more appealing.

[jefc302]

After some more testing, seems like turning on "GPU Performance" helps.

Preferences > Performance > GPU Performance

Would like to know if this also helps others.

[guym-p]

I am suffering the same extremely slow performance with Illustrator v25.0.1 in MacOS 10.15.7.  I am running a powerful Mac Pro with oodles of RAM and a high-end GPU.  It should be quick.

Based on a recommendation in another forum, I switched colour profile in System Preferences to "Apple RGB".  Illustrator became quick.  I switched back, trying a number of other profiles.  Every single one of them made Illustrator slow.  It only seems to perform well using Apple RGB.  Not Adobe RGB, not of my Xrite calibrations — only Apple RGB.  Why would that be?

Anyway — I hope it's a clue for someone who knows.  I did fire a bug report to Adobe (no response).  Meanwhile others might at least be able to get some work done!

Guy.

[jessemellon]

Same here — the last few versions have been laggy and terrible. I'm running 25.2.1 on two different MBPs (2017 15" and a 2020 16"), and it's been getting progressively worse on both.

[J5C60]

I have dropped £3K and it is still sloooooooooooooow.

Illustrator 8 was my fav. Fast and lightweight.

[cmcgarr57]

It's been so slow I forget AI on my laptop and wait for a desktop computer to become available. I've had no issues until the upgrade to Big Sur. Illustrator is slow and continues to show the spinning wheel of death every time I use a tool.

[ericp2393910]

Illustrator 8 was the last great version. It's been 23 years since then and just steadily downhill. Now, drawing single color icons on a maxed out, top of line MBP is terrible.

[Monika Gause]

Illustrator 8 was the last great version.

By @ericp2393910

You should really try out Live Paint.

[Oast One]

Still no resolution from Adobe? This thread has been live for 18 months.